To get the best possible experience using our website we recommend that you upgrade to a newer version or other web browser. IE8 is no longer supported. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Click on the links to get to the download page.

Archives

Yoga To You (Guest Post)

Everyone knows they should be doing some physical self care right? And many of us have found yoga is an amazing tool for recovery. But I know doing yoga can seem like a huge leap; getting to a class can be a massive challenge, and even if you do make it to a class, it can be intimidating or overwhelming, especially if you’re a beginner but also even if you’ve been practicing for years.

I teach yoga, and I’ve recently made some video classes for my students when we have to cancel classes because of snow. (That happens regularly where I live in Canada!) I was talking to Mrs D the other day, telling her about my new video venture, and we thought how about yoga videos for the Living Sober tribe?

I’ve made two 20-minute classes for you—one for those times when you need to calm yourself down (like when you’re having a raving craving), and one for when you need to amp up your energy (when the pink cloud goes dark and you need a perk up, or to get going first thing in the morning). They are both chair practices, and should be good for any level of experience, even complete beginners.

There’s also a 50 minute practice for if you’ve got more time.

I purposely do the videos “raw” as in no make-up, no lights, no editing, no special effects. Just me and my laptop in the spare room. My yoga is for daily life.

Give them a try, and let me know if you find them helpful.

And feel free to send me any ideas for other videos you think would be good for this community.

Ps. As I will not be in the room to watch over you while you practice, please take it easy and don’t over-strain yourself. These practices are very simple, and you will have the support of the chair, but you are responsible for looking after yourself and not overdoing it!

These are so bloody perfect!!!! I’m going to use them for a retreat I’m helping to plan in May. We’ll be having a yoga class in the mornings and I’ve been looking for the perfect class on the internet and yours is it!!!
Thank you so much for sharing.

Thank you for sharing your videos. I am on my 5th week of yoga and truly enjoying this new experience. It is challenging for me to be calm and present in my sobriety (7 months) and yoga is helping. I haven’t tried it in a chair so am looking forward to it this week.

Just did the 20 min rev up one with you Sue! (Did I know you were a lithe yoga teacher???)
Very cool….. Tara Brach eat your heart out! ; )
Finally some Yoga I can actually do without feeling like my body is made of wood!
Thanks : )

This is great! Yoga is so wonderful for recovery- the perfect stress reliever and resilience builder. The postures alone are great for releasing tension in the body, but when you add in the breath, and bring Yoga into your daily life through the Yamas and Niyamas, it can be utterly transformational! I found my sobriety entirely through Yoga, having not even been accepting that I was an alcoholic at the start of my training, and totally sober by the end of it – 3 and a half years later and still going strong, all thanks to the amazing power of Yoga!

Sober Stories

If you feel like you need more immediate help call the Alcohol Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797 (24 hrs) or LifeLine 0800 543 354 (24 hrs) to speak directly to someone who can assist.
This site is not moderated 24 hours a day. Any postings that raise concerns about a persons’ safety will be taken seriously and you will be encouraged to seek support. In the event an imminent risk to safety is determined, this may result in disclosure of this information to authorities in order to get assistance.